[2B09-13] Metal fuel pyroprocessing

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM JST(6:00 AM - 6:15 AM UTC)

[2B10] Conceptual Design Study of Fast Reactor Metal Fuel Cycle Facilities for Commercialization(6) Safety Design Considerations for Argon-Atmosphere Hot Cell

*Hideyuki Sugihara¹, Takanari Ogata^2,1, Tadahiro Washiya¹, Sachimasa Yoshida¹, Hiromu Ambai¹, Yoshikazu Yamada¹, Tomoomi Segawa¹, Yoshiharu Sakamura^2,1, Tsuyoshi Murakami^2,1 (1. JAEA, 2. CRIEPI)

Keywords:

fast reactor,fuel cycle,metal fuel,fuel fabrication,reprocessing,safety design,passive safety,argon cell,metal fire

A defining feature of metal fuel cycle facilities is handling high-temperature reactive metals under an inert atmosphere. The technical basis for handling spent metal fuel at engineering scale has been established mainly in the Fuel Cycle Facility. Its safety design is centered on an argon-atmosphere hot cell and active confinement by safety exhaust system (SES) against design-basis cell breach and metal fires. However, an argon cell may be well suited to passive safety design because its fire-prevention function relies primarily on maintaining an inert atmosphere. This study focuses on a new safety design concept for preventing progression to metal fire during a long-term loss of all active safety functions by maintaining the argon atmosphere based on the preliminary transient analysis.